https://www.comparitech.com/de/blog/information-security/spear-phishing This fairly sophisticated spear phishing attack … To make these kinds of emails appear true-to-life, hackers alter the “from” field. Vishing. These documents have a wide range of sensitive information that can be used for various forms of identity theft. That’s why it’s important to educate your employees and establish a policy that protects your business from threats. These emails might impersonate someone an employee knows, such as the CEO. And it’s unrecoverable. Scammers are targeting businesses all the time, but here are a few... Ubiquiti Networks Inc. How to avoid a spear-phishing attack. The less-likely option is the hackers could attempt to file your taxes before you, and collect on your tax refund. Feel free to contact one of our team members for more information on this service.). But there was a small difference between the real email and the fake one: a single letter. Phishing versus spear phishing. Why would the hackers want the information from W-2s? If you’re wondering what this is, DMARC.org explains that this acronym means “Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance.”. hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(604281, '31c97df3-9d9d-4edf-af54-ce33768c89e6', {}); © Copyright WatchPoint Data, All Rights Reserved   |   Terms. The following example illustrates a spear phishing attack’s progression and potential consequences: A spoofed email is sent to an enterprise’s sysadmin from someone claiming to represent www.itservices.com, … WatchPoint has created a PowerShell script to allow you to simulate an attack. In response, our client replied that they had already paid the amount—and our client forwarded their vendor an email as proof. All Rights Reserved. This technique targets C-suite posts like CEO, CFO, COO – or any other senior management positions – who are considered to be big players in the information chain of any organization, commonly known as “whales” in phishing terms. 4 tips to keep you safe from timeless scams Everyone has access to something a hacker wants. Similar to spear phishing… hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(604281, 'b3233116-40a7-460d-8782-aecfc579857a', {}); We have all heard about how the Democratic National Committee (DNC) fell victim to a cyberattack where their email systems were breached during the U.S. presidential race. Phishing is a generic term for email attacks that try to steal sensitive information in messages that appear to be from legitimate or trusted senders. It was Christmastime, so this “CEO” asked an employee to buy Amazon gift cards and send over the codes for the purchased cards. Spear phishing attacks differ from typical phishing attacks in that they are more targeted and personalized in order to increase chances of fooling recipients. What our client didn’t notice was this: the domain used as the email address was slightly incorrect. Before we dive into our client’s spear phishing example, it’s important to understand the mechanics of a spear phishing attack. The hacker will attempt to use the sensitive information he stole to manipulate your employee into transferring money. What makes this a Phishing message? The emails asked recipients to reset their passwords and provided a link to do so. The hacker (or hackers) had the leisure to read the email exchange. Ryuk and Convenience Stores. A spear-phishing attack using SET allows us to craft and send email addresses to either a single person or a group of people with malicious payloads attached. Once a hacker transfers your funds to their account, all they need to do is wire the money abroad. For instance, a bot might collect data from your company website…or even your LinkedIn account. Crelan Bank in Belgium lost $75.8 million (approximately €70 million) in a CEO fraud … Keep in mind that this doesn’t completely guarantee security. I’m not even immune from the threat. But that didn’t stop a sophisticated spear phishing scheme from tricking our client into forfeiting a five-figure sum. Suppliers can be impersonated too. And there are several things you can do to prevent a spear phishing attack. Someone in the DNC received and opened one of the attachments which enabled the hacking group to do the following: The second attack began in the spring of 2016 and also used a spear phishing campaign. Spear phishing, unlike phishing attacks, which target a large audience and are often distributed by botnets, targets very specific individuals, as I mentioned, within a financial department … That means picking up the phone and calling the person who is requesting the payment. Spear phishing is a phishing attack that targets a specific individual or group of individuals. Unsurprisingly, tons of data can be found on social media platforms such as LinkedIn. State-Sponsored Phishing Attacks. Spear phishing. Here, you’ll find that DMARC.org says hackers can still alter the “from” field as we talked about. Ransomware is still a threat to businesses everywhere, but there’s a variation that’s emerged on the scene in September that’s even trickier to deal with. However, instead of embedding malicious links into the emails, it tricked users into sharing their passwords. If you haven’t already, read this blog post on how I was nearly spear phished. Another defense against spear phishing that’s recommended is DMARC. They began to demand payment from our client…daily. Spear phishing attacks could also target you on multiple messaging platforms. And a spear phishing attack was launched. Now Spear Phishing has become even more detailed as hackers are using a plethora of different channels such as VOIP, social media, instant messaging and other means. And it’s possible a scammer might do this with a URL as well. If an employee is still in doubt, have him pick up the phone and call the organization. There is no shortcut to testing your defenses against a ransomware attack. I’d encourage you to have your employees read what happened—and schedule a team discussion on how to better protect your business. In contrast, more sophisticated phishers do their homework, then specifically target certain groups, organizations, or people. While phishing uses a scattered approach to target people, spear phishing attacks are done with a specific recipient in mind. One adversary group, known as Helix Kitten , researches individuals in specific industries to learn about their interests and then structures phishing messages to appeal to those individuals. Attackers often research their victims on social media and other sites. Most phishing attacks are sent by email. There’s simply no such thing as a “trustworthy” email. Copyright © 2020 Proactive IT. Each month, hackers are busy at work—trying to compromise companies and steal their funds. Spear phishing targets specific individuals instead of a wide group of people. In this article, I’m sharing some details on this spear phishing example with our client’s permission. Once your employee discloses sensitive information or responds to a spear phishing email, an actual hacker may become involved. W-2 Spear Phishing Attacks. The primary targets of this attack, however, appeared to be non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and policy think tanks in the U.S. It wasn’t that our client had unmitigated cybersecurity risk—quite the contrary. For most people, spear phishing emails may sound simple and vague, but it has evolved to its whole new levels, and it cannot be traced and tracked without prior knowledge. An attacker becomes aware of a sensitive internal project at a target organization. Ransomware Decrypters | Where to Find the Antidote, © Copyright WatchPoint Data, All Rights Reserved   |, Small and Medium Enterprises Cybersecurity, Export emails to the attacker’s server via an encrypted connection, 85% of organizations suffered a phishing attack in 2016. The same Russian hacking group, ‘the Dukes,’ sent out emails from Gmail accounts and possibly a compromised email account from Harvard University’s Faculty of Arts and Science. Spear Phishing Definition Spear phishing is a common type of cyber attack in which attackers take a narrow focus and craft detailed, targeted email messages to a specific recipient or group. The more likely of the two is the hackers would sell this data on dark-web forums, allowing other cybercriminals to do as they please with this information. This campaign was responsible for stealing and compromising the W-2 U.S. tax records of every employee working for these companies in 2015. My Take on the Legality Issue, How to Make Password Management Easy and Secure, Meeting Your Billable Hours Goal Post-COVID-19: How Technology Can Help. That way, the attackers can customize their communications and appear more authentic. As you learn about this spear phishing example, I’d encourage you to make it a teaching moment for your company and its employees. Until now, we’ve discussed phishing attacks that for the most part rely solely on email as a … What most people don’t know is the DNC email system was breached through spear phishing emails. Phishing attack examples. I don’t think our client will get their money back. Here’s a rundown of some of those attacks, what’s been happening and the cost to the companies that got attacked. They exploit people who need to get stuff done. Another example of when a Spear Phishing attack will typically occur is at during a catastrophic event, such as a natural disaster. There is also functionality available to spoof your email address from within the tool. There’s simply no way any IT expert can secure something that’s inherently unsecure—namely email. Epsilon … The hacker messaged our client through email and impersonated our client’s vendor. 10. As with regular phishing, … Many times, government-sponsored hackers and hacktivists are behind these attacks… Examples and scenarios for how spear phishing works and what it looks like include: Spear Phishing An Individual: The perpetrator discovers the bank their target uses and using a spoofed email and copied website credentials, sends the target an email stating the account has been breached. In our client’s case, the hacker(s) had a strikingly similar domain to our client’s vendor. An attack costing $1.6 million could cripple almost any small or medium sized business! They can gather the information they need to seem plausible by researching the … You need two-factor authentication (2FA). And it’s one reason we offer employee training on cybersecurity. … The origins of these phishing attacks are causing more alarm in … A highly targeted form of phishing, spear phishing involves bespoke emails being sent to well-researched victims. Though they both use the same methods to attack victims, phishing and spear phishing are still different. Spear phishing uses the same methods as the above scams, but it targets a specific individual. Usually, cybercriminals pretend to be an organization or individual that you know, and include a piece of content—a link, an email attachment, etc.—that they know you’ll want to interact with. For example, on an individual level, hackers might pretend to be your best friend and ask for access to your Facebook account. In the end, both have the same targets. This phishing attack example involved cybercriminals sending emails to the company’s India executives and the scheduling of fake conference calls to discuss a confidential acquisition in China. Example of a spear phishing attack. For example, the letter “W” might be replaced with the Russian character “ш” How to Prevent a Spear Phishing Attack. Here's how to recognize each type of phishing attack. It doesn’t matter if your employee received an email with Microsoft branding and logos that said, “Click here to visit your Microsoft Outlook account.” That doesn’t mean Microsoft sent the URL. The content of the messages caught the potential target’s attention as they included the Clinton Foundation giving an analysis on the elections, eFax links or documents claiming that the results of the election were being revised or were rigged, as well as a PDF download on ‘Why American Elections are Flawed.' Spear phishing is often the first step used to penetrate a company's defenses and carry out a targeted attack. They saw the discussion that was taking place. Think again! 4.2.3.1.1 Spear-phishing attack. https://www.kaspersky.com/resource-center/definitions/spear-phishing So, strictly speaking, the Twitter attack was more a vishing (voice phishing) social engineering attack than a spear phishing attack, although that is what it has been called in the press. It didn’t take long for our client to realize they had been scammed. What makes spear phishing attacks so dangerous is that hackers bypass all of your network security and compromise your employees. This attack is a perfect example of how a simple, deceitful email and web page can lead to a breach. But realize that hackers are getting much more targeted. The phishing emails used ‘PowerDuke’ which is a new backdoor malware that gives attackers remote access to compromised systems. Tell employees to visit a site directly. In the same way, you might consider putting your employees’ to the test when it comes to spear phishing. This example of a phishing attack uses an email address that is familiar to the victim, like the one belonging to the organization’s CEO, Human Resources Manager, or the IT support department. At the center of the discussion was a payment (to the vendor) that was worth tens of thousands of dollars. Spear Phishing . Amazon is so popular on a worldwide level that most cybercriminals don’t have to go to much effort to trick their users; the majority of phishing attempts are generic. This time, the purpose is sending deceptive emails. Spear phishing, on the other hand, is a targeted phishing campaign where hackers first research their target individual or company to increase their chance of success. You may see a string of emails designed to lure you into taking action. Have your employees examine the details of any email requesting sensitive information. Opening a file like the one embedded into the email will launch ‘PowerDuke’ into action. Spear phishing has been around for quite some time, but has been as effective as ever lately. But it will also ensure that should a hacker obtain an employee’s username and password, this doesn’t mean he or she will have access to your employee’s account. Our client did notice that their “vendor” made some writing mistakes. Our recommendation is to hover over a link before clicking through. The first hack, which began in the summer of 2015, sent spear phishing emails to more than 1,000 addresses. That way, they can customise their communications and appear more authentic. Cybercriminals can spoof emails so well that even professionals can’t tell the difference. Here’s how DMARC.org describes what this safeguard can do for email messages: “Receivers supply senders with information about their mail authentication infrastructure while senders tell receivers what to do when a message is received that does not authenticate.”. An example of a spear phishing email. Each week my team encounters another example of spear phishing. You need to realize that hackers prey on employees’ busyness. “Weidenhammer has been victim of a spear phishing event that has resulted in the transfer of 100 … … They are one type of spear phishing, in which the bad guys typically … (It’s the section of an email that supposedly indicates who wrote the message.) Examples of spear phishing Spear phishing attempts targeting businesses. Our client and their vendor were communicating via email. They have been more successful since receiving email from the legitimate email accounts does not make people suspicious. Spear phishing attack example: Spear phishing and phishing attacks are deployed with similar forms of email attack which includes a typical malicious link or an attachment. Between late 2015 and early 2016, more than 55 companies fell victim to a highly-tailored spear phishing campaign. Not sure if an email is coming from a hacker or a legitimate sender? Spear phishing isn’t going away anytime soon. In the online account, employees can check if the organization is handing out the same instructions contained in the email. For example, email from a Bank or the note from your employer asking for personal credentials. In this second step, hackers still rely upon bots. Spear phishing is a type of phishing, but more targeted. Spear phishing is a relatively unsophisticated cyber attack when compared to a more technology-powered attack like the WannaCry ransomware cryptoworm. And even though our client had ironclad network security, the vendor’s breach gave the hacker access to our client’s sensitive information. A regular phishing attack is aimed at the general public, people who use a particular service, etc. And if the URL doesn’t look reputable or contains errors, your employees should never click it. At last, our client gave in and sent the hefty payment. Similarities between the two addresses offer the impression of a secure link, making the recipient less aware that an attack is taking place. In one spear phishing example we saw, a hacker pretended to be the CEO of a company. In the DNC hack, there were two separate attacks that enabled the hacking group to release confidential data. Mult… But instances of spear … What is Spear Phishing If an average phishing attack relies on chumming the waters (or email inboxes) with lots of bait in the hope of generating a few bites, spear phishing is the equivalent of Captain Ahab chasing his white whale across the Seven Seas. In spear phishing, an email is crafted and sent to a specific person within an organization with the sole purpose of infecting his/her system with malware in order to obtain sensitive information. Email phishing. The timing of the attacks was spot on as well. In the preparation phase, they are often similar to social engineering attacks, or “social hacking,” because the attacker uses information gathered about the target person to tailor the spear phishing attack and … Phishing emails can also be used to trick a user into clicking on a malicious attachment or link that is embedded into an email. The “CEO” might ask the employee to disclose some kind of sensitive information…perhaps under a legitimate guise. Spear phishing presents a much greater threat than phishing in general as the targets are often high-level executives of large corporations. It is different from other … You are a global administrator or security administrator In Attack Simulator, two different types of spear phishing campaigns are available: 1. By doing this, hackers attempt to appear more trustworthy as a legitimate business entity thus making the target less suspicious. It’s extremely important to be aware of both phishing and spear phishing campaigns. Spear Phishing Campaign Targets NGOs and Think Tanks. Examples of Spear Phishing Attacks. Whaling is not very different from spear phishing, but the targeted group becomes more specific and confined in this type of phishing attack. In my blog on the PCI DSS, I mentioned how some of our clients undergo scams to check their PCI compliance. Whaling. It’s difficult to detect a phishing scam, but it’s possible. Phishers may perform research on the user to make the attack more effective. This allows the hackers to carry out a large range of commands including the uploading and downloading of files, remote wiping of files and accessing details about the infected machine, its user, and the network it runs on. Spear phishing vs. phishing Phishing is the most common social engineering attack out there. The spear phishing attack in general is based on very different types of attacks. Business email compromise attacks, for example, are also known as whaling, CEO fraud, or wire-transfer fraud. Attackers send out hundreds and even thousands of emails, expecting that at least a few people will respond. The Scoular Company. Spear Phishing— Some phishing attacks are random. How Does Spear Phishing Work? This example of a phishing attack uses an email address that is familiar to the victim, like the one belonging to the organization’s CEO, Human Resources Manager, or the IT support department. There are also two other possibilities that hackers could do with your W-2s. “Spear phishing is a much more customized attack that appears to be from someone you’re familiar with.” And it’s gaining momentum: Spear-phishing attacks increased 620 percent between February 2016 and February 2018, according to AppRiver research. WatchPoint has created a PowerShell script to allow you to simulate an attack. If your employee can’t see this, it’s easy for a hacker to trick him into disclosing sensitive information…which then leads to the final step of the attack. In addition to carefully scrutinizing the email address, they should also pay attention to the grammar of the email. This month, our client was one of their victims. Spearphishing with a link is a specific variant of spearphishing. But here’s the reality…. The sophistication of this attack is stunning. Spear-phishing targets a specific person or enterprise instead of a wide group. The Scoular Company, a commodities trading firm, was scammed out of more than $17 million in an elaborate spearphishing scam. But here’s something neither of them knew. Spear-Phishing Examples Of Various Kinds. Throughout this article, you learned how effective a phishing attack can be. 1. An example of a Spear Phishing Attack that could occur is say you share online that you will be traveling to Atlanta soon, and you might get an email from a colleague (apparently), saying “Hey, while you’re in Atlanta you’ve got to eat at Ladybird, check out their menu.” Phishing is more like an exploratory attack that targets a wide range of people, while spear phishing is a more target-specific form of phishing. In this widespread form of spear-phishing, an … A type of phishing attack that focuses on a single user or department within an organization, addressed from someone within the company in a position of trust and requesting information such as login IDs and passwords.Spear phishing … At Proactive IT, we understand the vulnerability that your employees face. To get it, hackers might aim a targeted attack right at you. The emails were disguised as messages from several entities including the Center for New American Security (CNAS), Transparency International, the Council on Foreign Relations, the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), and the Eurasia Group. This shows just how hard it is to identify and properly respond to targeted email threats. If you have employees who didn’t make As in high school English class, introduce them to a tool, such as Grammarly, to spot language errors. You might think your company is immune to compromised data security. (At Proactive IT, this is actually something we offer. This attack is a perfect example of how a simple, deceitful email and web page can lead to a breach. According to numerous reports, emails are the most commonly used spear phishing mode of attack and actually constitute 91% of all the attacks taking place. Somehow, a hacker had gained access to an email account…perhaps by impersonating a reputable organization or person. Clicking on the link brought victims to a fake webmail domain where they entered their credentials which then gave the hackers the keys to their email. In the beginning of September 2020, Proofpoint revealed that it had detected two spear-phishing attack campaigns involving China-based APT group TA413. Here's how to recognize each type of phishing attack. Scammers typically go after either an individual or business. If you’re a decision-maker, it’s your responsibility to create a standard operating procedure for sending money. by Steve Kennen | May 16, 2019 | Network Security. You may see a string of emails designed to lure you into taking action. Phishing is one of the most common attack vectors hackers use to initially infiltrate a user’s system. To get in touch, call us at 704-464-3075, or contact us here. You can generally break the process down into three steps. Spear Phishing. Don’t allow expediency to enable a hacker to steal your hard-earned revenue. If you’re located in Charlotte, we’d be happy to discuss how we can assist in employee education. This screenshot shows an example of a phishing email falsely claiming to be from a real bank. Sure, it’s going to create more hassle for your employees. Nearly six hours after President Trump was announced as the winner of the presidential election, the same group who was responsible for the DNC hack launched another spear phishing campaign. The crook will register a fake domain that … Even one of largest e-mail providers for major companies like Best Buy, Citi, Hilton, LL Bean, Marriott, has been the target of a spear phishing attack that caused the stealing of customers’ data. Phishing comes in many forms, from spear phishing, whaling and business-email compromise to clone phishing, vishing and snowshoeing. Attackers will gather publicly available information on targets prior to launching a spear phishing attack and will use those personal details to impersonate targets’ friends, relatives, coworkers or other trusted contacts. Phishing Attack Examples. Spear phishing emails can target large groups, like the Hilton Honors members, or small groups, such as a specific department or individual. Hackers employ bots to harvest publicly available information. The hacker chose a relevant discussion to target. I don’t care if you’re a small business, a medium-sized firm, or a 1,000-employee corporation. Here are some 2016 statistics on phishing attacks. Spear-phishing targets a specific person or enterprise instead of a wide group. Spear phishing targets specific individuals instead of a wide group of people. Phishing Example: Spear Phishing Attack "Articles" Phishing Example: Spear Phishing Attack "Articles" January 2, 2016. Following are some of the predominant varieties of spear-phishing attacks around us. Shortly afterward, the real vendor inquired about the sum under discussion. However, if you look in the backend, you’ll find the actual address. Spear phishing attacks could also target you on multiple messaging platforms. The hacker had purchased a domain that was nearly identical to the vendor’s domain and had created an email address. Whaling. But please realize that DMARC won’t solve all your problems. Between late 2015 and early 2016, more than 55 companies fell victim to a highly-tailored spear phishing … However, the quantity and quality of phishing emails have dramatically improved over the last decade and it's becoming increasingly difficult to detect spear phishing emails without prior knowledge. That email will use fear-mongering to get the … Spear phishing attacks employ an email with a deceptive link. Spear phishingis a targeted phishing attack that uses very focused and customized content that's specifically tailored to the targeted recipients (typically, after reconnaissance on the recipients by the attacker). Don’t think phishing and spear phishing are very common? A recent article from the Berks County, Pennsylvania local news site provides a good example. Phishing is an attempt to obtain user credentials, financial data, or other sensitive information by emulating a legitimate email communication. Criminals are using breached accounts. Your employees need to realize that email is inherently unsecure. this blog post on how I was nearly spear phished, Tools for Working from Home: 2020 Christmas Gift Ideas from the Proactive IT Team, LastPass Tips: How to Effectively Use Our Favorite Password Management Tool, Should You Pay a Ransom to Cybercriminals? Between March and December of 2016, 9 out of 10 phishing emails contained ransomware. And there’s no good reason why your company should succumb to a scam that’s easily avoidable. … A good rule of thumb is to treat every email as a suspicious one. Spear phishing doesn’t begin with a hacker personally breaking into an employee’s email account. Spear phishing is often the first step used to penetrate a company’s defenses and carry out a targeted attack. Depending on scope, a phishing attempt might escalate into a security incident from which a business will have a difficult time recovering. There is no shortcut to testing your defenses against a ransomware attack. Treat every email with caution. However, some protection is better than none—so you might consider implementing this in your organization. Below is an example of an eFax document that was included in the spear phishing campaign. The difference between phishing and spear phishing may be evident, but the difference between spear phishing and legitimate emails may not be. Spear-phishing attacks are becoming more dangerous than other phishing attack vectors. The 55+ companies that fell victim to the attack were breached between January and April 2016 which, as well all know, is tax season. Here’s an example of a real spear phishing email. Ransomware is the number one cybersecurity threat today, and the primary end result of a phishing campaign. Phishing campaigns are the #1 delivery method for distributing malware, There was a 250% surge in phishing campaigns between 2015 and 2016. Is, DMARC.org explains that this doesn ’ t know is the number one cybersecurity threat today and! 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Why it ’ s domain and had created an email account…perhaps by impersonating a reputable or. The transfer of 100 … whaling of how a simple, deceitful email and the fake one: single... Shows just how hard it is to treat every email as proof an attempt to use the same methods attack... Ask the employee to disclose some kind of sensitive information by emulating legitimate... S domain and had created an email only the person who is requesting the payment organization is handing out same. Knows, such as LinkedIn some other phishing campaigns the damage our client will get their money back Bank! Email exchange of 10 phishing emails used ‘ PowerDuke ’ into action money.! Make it tough for hackers to break into an employee knows, such as the targets are high-level! If the URL doesn ’ t begin with a example of a spear phishing attack link app might have a dedicated space messages. Was slightly incorrect ’ t as outlandish as some other phishing campaigns are available: 1 phishing presents much! Emails designed to lure you into taking action Pennsylvania local news example of a spear phishing attack provides a good example manipulate employee... To wasted time, but it ’ s defenses and carry out a targeted.... Attention to the test when it comes to spear phishing… spear phishing attack can be elaborate. The general public, people who need to realize they had already paid the amount—and our client get! January 2, 2016 read what happened—and schedule a team discussion on i. Mult… Adversaries may send spearphishing example of a spear phishing attack with a deceptive link the less-likely option the... Perform research on the user to make the attack more effective a common phishing scam … Crelan Bank in lost! To better protect your business in 2015 on this service. ) to well-researched victims spear-phishing... Blog on the PCI DSS, i ’ m sharing some details on this.! Team encounters another example of when a spear phishing attack of dollars on your refund! 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